Outbreak
response immunization (ORI):
Following
the AFP case investigation and stool specimen collection, ORI
is organized in the community and performed as soon as possible.
Children aged 0-59 months are given one dose of oral poliovirus
vaccine (OPV) regardless of the number of doses received previously.
The recipients include children of the target age group in the
village/locality of the AFP case. The travel history of the
child with AFP may suggest additional places of stay where ORI
should also be conducted. While conducting the house-to-house
immunization during ORI, the investigation team searches for
additional AFP cases in the community, which – if present
– could signal the possibility of a polio outbreak.
Active case search in the community:
In
the community where an AFP case resides – or where an
AFP case has visited during the incubation period for polio
(4-25 days before paralysis onset) – a house-to-house
active case search is conducted to find additional AFP cases
that may have occurred. This activity is carried out immediately
along with ORI. A search is conducted for any children aged
<15 years who have had the onset of flaccid paralysis within
the preceding 60 days. All cases that are found are investigated
immediately, with collection from the case of two stool specimens
before administration of OPV. The purpose of the search is to
uncover additional AFP cases in the community, if any. Only
by investigating each and every case of AFP occurring in children
aged 0-15 years can we be certain whether or not wild polioviruses
have been eliminated from the community.
